Nottingham elastic lace nets



5, 1955 A. c. WHEATCROFT ET AL 2,723,587

NOTTINGHAM ELASTIC LACE NETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1954 E [Irma/7 V n fy ATTORNEY 1955 A. c. WHEATCROFT ET AL 2,723,587

NOTTINGHAM ELASTIC LACE NETS Filed July 7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A i I ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 2,723,587 Patented Nov. 15, 1955 1 2,723,587 NOTTINGHAM ELASTIC LACE NETS Arthur C. Wheatcroft, Stamford, Comm, and Frederick Varney, Patchogue, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to North American Lace Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 7, 1954, Serial No. 441,812 6 Claims. (Cl. 87-2) This invention relates to two-way stretch elastic girdle fabrics, and the like, woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine, and more particularly to a two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace of the class known in the Nottingham lace trade as double action goods.

Nottingham lace is woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine, but owing the the limited number of mechanical movements available in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, the difliculties encountered when rubber, or other elastic threads, are introduced in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, the exacting specifications which the trade imposes upon elastic textile fabrics, and the purposes for which such fabrics are employed in the end product, many serious problems must be overcome in order to produce a commercially acceptable two-way streach elastic lace fabric woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine.

Form fitting girdles, garter belts, and the like, must be strong enough to contain and mold the figure, and at the same time sufliciently flexible and elastic to stretch in both directions simultaneously, so as to adapt the fabric of the girdle, etc., to changes in the contours of the body, Without wrinkling, creasing, .or puckering the girdle fabric, or otherwise causing discomfort to the wearer. Girdle fabrics must also provide satisfactory ventilation, without pinching the soft, delicate, tissues, or producing pressure marks, because pinching of the soft and delicate tissues, if prolonged, may produce contusions and abrasions.

Elastic lace nets, sometimes referred to as lace lastex, woven upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine, have not proved satisfactory for girdle fabrics, for various reasons. Some of the elastic Nottingham lace nets tend to pucker or to wrinkle, others are too expensive to compete with the girdle fabrics now in use, others employing elastic both in the warp, and in the spool, threads, are unsatisfactory, and too expensive, to find acceptance in the trade, and others are inacceptable because two-way stretch is either insuflicient or entirely lacking.

A Nottingham lacefabric is partly openwork and partly close structure. Openwork necessarily impairs the molding characteristics of an elastic lace fabric, and when elastic threads are woven in the warp only, the close structure, which is formed by the inelastic spool threads, necessarily reduces the elasticity of the lace fabric. Large openwork areas also increase the size of the areas of the pinched tissues and the size of the pressure marks; insufficient clothing weakens the lace fabric and tends to open up when under tension with risk of thread cuts in the skin; too much clothing impairs ventilation; and too frequent clothing serious interferes with, and may substantially nullify, sideways stretch of the lace fabric.

One object of this invention is a relatively inexpensive, commercially acceptable, two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net, which is usable as a practical girdle fablie, or the like.

Another object is a relatively inexpensive, commercially acceptable, two-way stretch girdle fabric or the like, fabricated upon a Nottingham lace curtain machine as an elastic Nottingham lace net.

Another object is a Nottingham lace net having elastic warp threads, and inelastic spool threads, which are so interwoven as to constitute a commercially acceptable twoway stretch girdle fabric.

Another object is a Nottingham lace net wherein the A threads are replaced by elastic warp threads, and the said warp threads and the conven tional spool threads are so interwoven as to fabricate a lace net which will stretch in any direction, which is smooth and free from wrinkles when relaxed, which can be embodied in an undergarment, and which, when so embodied and so worn, molds itself to the body without discomfort to the wearer, and provides a maximum of ventilation to the body without forming irritating pressure marks upon the skin, etc.

Other objects will appear from the detailed tion of the invention which follows.

In the drawing consisting of eight figures, numbered Figs. 1 to 8, both inclusive, certain embodiments of the invention, in the form at present preferred, are illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fragment of two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net, somewhat enlarged.

Fig. 2 is a view of a fragment of the lace net of Fig. 1, blown up to show the details of the weave, including a full repeat of the pattern of the lace net.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the particular combination of spool thread ties which combine with the warp and bobbin threads to complete the structure of the lace net.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of an elastic warp thread, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7, variously illustrate how the lace net can be stretched in various directions without risk of wrinkling or puckering; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of elastic Nottingham lace, showing objects clothed upon the lace net of Fig. 1 to further ornament the fabric.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts, throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The Nottingham lace net disclosed herein is woven in a Nottingham lace curtain machine, using a warp beam consisting of the covered rubber threads, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16, etc., to form the warp threads of an elastic Nottingham lace net. The warp threads 10, 11, etc., are spaced across the frame of the Nothingham lace curtain machine, the number of warp threads employed depending upon the width of the lace net to be loomed, and the number of warp threads per inch, determining the point of the lace net. In the fabric illustrated in the drawing, a twelve point net is assumed. The spaces between the warp threads 10, 11; 11, 12; 12, 13; etc., define open bars for a two-gait net. As the warp threads are made of a rubber filament (Fig. 4), suitably covered with a spirally wound cotton thread 71, they are inherently elastic, and are capable of being stretched to several times their relaxed length without breaking.

A series of inelastic bobbin threads, 20, 21, 22, etc., are provided, which are associated with the warp threads, there being one inelastic bobbin thread associated with each warp thread. For example: bobbin thread 20 is associated with covered rubber warp thread 10, bobbin thread 21 with covered rubber warp thread 11, and so on all the way across the frame of the Nottingham lace curtain machine. These inelastic bobbin threads may be made of cotton, or the like.

A series of inelastic spool threads 30 to 36, etc., are also provided, which are adapted, during the weaving operation to be extended across the open bars between the covered rubber warp threads 10, 11; 11, 12; 12, 13; and 13, 14; etc., in either direction, according to the direction of motion of the Nottingham lace curtain'machine, and to be fastened by the bobbin threads to the particular warp threads to which said spool threads are thus extended, to form spool thread ties between the said warp threads. i

conventional inelastic warp descrip- There is a spool thread normally associated with each covered rubber warp thread and its associated inelastic bobbin thread. For example, spool thread 30 may be considered to be normally associated with the covered rubber warp thread 1t) and with the inelastic bobbin thread 20; spool thread 31, with the covered rubber warp thread 11 and with the inelastic bobbin thread 21; etc.

During each distinctive motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, each warp thread and its associated bobbin thread is moved by the motion of the machine in such a manner, that the warp thread and the bobbin thread are twisted together and form a pillar, and if the associated spool thread is not then extended to another warp thread to make a tie, said spool thread will also be pillared with the warp and bobbin threads with which said spool thread is normally associated. If, however, a particular spool thread has been extended across the open bar to an adjoining warp thread, then the said spool thread will be tied by the bobbin thread associated with the warp thread to which said spool thread has been extended, to complete a spool thread tie. For example, in Fig. 2, spool thread 31 is pillared to its associated covered rubber warp thread 11, by its associated inelastic bobbin thread 21, between the points 210 and 21e; but is extended to the adjacent covered rubber warp thread 12 and there tied by the bobbin thread 22 at the point 22f, to form the two-gait spool thread tie 31d, Similarly, spool thread 32 is pillared to its associated covered rubber warp thread 12 by its associated bobbin thread 22 between the points 225 and 22a, but is extended at other places across one bar to the warp thread 11 and is tied thereto by the bobbin thread 21, to form a twogait spool thread tie; and is extended at certain other places in the opposite direction across one bar to the warp thread 13 to which it is tied by the bobbin thread 23 to form other two-gait spool thread ties.

When a spool thread is extended across one bar only and there fastened to an adjacent warp thread to form a tie, the tie thus formed is known as a two-gait spool thread tie. Similarly, when a spool thread is extended over the adjacent warp thread to the warp thread therebeyond, and there tied, the tie thus formed is known as a three-gait spool thread tie. In each case, the number of gaits is determined by the number of warp threads bridged or gaited by the extended spool thread, including both of the anchoring warp threads.

In the elastic Nottingham lace net described herein, the spool threads are extended one bar to form twogait spool thread ties, and the resulting elastic lace net is accordingly two-gait work, and because it can be stretched both lengthwise (along the warp), and sideways (or across the warp), it may be described as a twogait, two-way stretch, elastic Nottingham lace net.

One complete operating cycle of a Nottingham lace curtain machine consists of two distinctive motions, sometimes referred to as half-motions, which taken together, constitute one full motion of the machine. During the first half-motion, the machine may be said to move to the left and back, while during the second half-motion, the machine may be said to move to the right and front; and these two half-motions constitute one complete operating cycle, or full motion, of the Nottingham lace curtain machine. The operating cycle may be repeated as many times as is necessary, to complete the weaving cycle. By weaving cycle is meant the number of full motions necessary to weave one full repeat of the pattern of the lace net in the Nottingham lace curtain machine.

The lace net shown in Fig. l, is made up of a repeat pattern which is two bars wide, and which, as best shown in Fig. 2, requires four full, or eight half, motions, of the Nottingham lace curtain machine, to complete the weaving cycle, or to weave one repeat of the pattern. These four full motions, are indicated in Fig. 2, by the index numbers, 1 to 4, both inclusive, located outside the brackets; and the eight distinctive half-motions are similarly indicated by the sub-indices 1-a, 1-b to 4-a, 4b, both inclusive, located inside the brackets, the subindex 1-a, indicating the first half-motion of the first full motion or operating cycle of the lace making machine; the index number 1-b, indicating the second halfmotion of the first full motion; the sub-index number 2-a, indicating the first halfmotion of the second full motion of the lace making machine; etc.

As perhaps best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the electric Nottingham lace net consists of a series of rows of dots 50, 51, 52; 53, 54; 55, 56, 57; 58, etc.; with openwork, indicated at 60 to 66, etc., between the dots and a row of openwork between adjacent rows of dots. On each succeeding half-motion of the weaving cycle, the relative positions of the dots and of the openwork between the dots is reversed, and since the rows of dots are also separated by rows of openwork which recur during each half of every weaving cycle, as indicated by the half-motions 2-b and 4-b respectively (Fig. 2), the corners of the dots do not merge with each other but are spaced apart lengthwise of the lace net structure by a section of warp thread. This spacing of the dots is effected by resuming the openwork beneath the dots and continuing the openwork between the dots for one half-motion of the Nottingham lace curtain machine to define a row or lane of openwork across the loom width of the lace net structure. This row or lane of openwork recurs during each half of every weaving cycle, as indicated by half-motion 2-b, and half-motion 4-b (Fig. 2).

During the first three half-motions of the first half of the weaving cycle, indicated by the sub-indices 1-a, 1-b, and 2-a (Fig. 2), the spool threads are extended between the warp threads 10, 11; 12, 13; 14, 15; etc., to weave the row of dots 50, 51, 52, etc., across each alternate bar of the lace net, but as the spool threads are not extended at this time between the warp threads 11, 12; 13, 14', 15, 16; etc., the bars defined by these pairs of warp threads remain open at 60, 61, etc., to leave openwork in alternate bars or between the dots 50, 51, 52, etc. At the end of the third half-motion, designated Z-a (Fig. 2), all of the spool threads have been returned to their respective warp threads, and as the spool threads are not extended during the next half-motion, or halt-motion 2b, of the first half of the weaving cycle, each said spool thread is pillared with its associated warp thread and bobbin thread, to leave a row or lane of openwork extending sideways across the lace net structure below the rows of dots 50, 51, 52, etc., and also form an elastic pillar.

In the lace net structure shown, the repeat element of the net structure is two bars wide, and consists of two sub-elements 50, 60 and 62, 53, one of which is the reverse repeat of the other. The repeat element is contained by, and is repeated between, the warp threads 10 and 12; 12 and 14; 14 and 16; etc.; all the way across the loom width of the lace net structure. During the first half of the weaving cycle, the sub-element 5 3, 6%) was woven, and repeated at 51, 61, etc., across the lace net structure, in the manner previously described.

During the second half of the weaving cycle, the subelement 62, 53 is woven between the warp threads ll) and 12; and is repeated at 63, 54; etc., between the warp threads 12, 14; 14, 16; etc., in the following manner. During the first three half motions of the second half of the weaving cycle, which are indicated by the subindices 3-a, 3-b, and 4-rz (Fig. 2), a dot is woven between the warp threads 11, 12; 13, 14; 15, 16; etc., below each bar of openwork 60, 61, etc., to form the row of dots 53, 54, etc., while bars of openwork 62, 63, 64,, etc., are left below the dots 50, 51, 52, etc., of the preceding row. At the completion of the third half-motion 4zz (Fig. 2), all of the spool threads have been returned to their associated warp, and bobbin, threads, and as the spool threads are not extended during the next half-motion, namely half-motion 4-b, of the second half of the weaving cycle, each spool thread is pillared with its associated warp, and bobbin, thread, to leave another row or lane of openwork, extending sideways across the structure of the lace net, and thus complete the weaving cycle.

The weaving cycle is thereafter repeated to weave other rows of dots 55, 56, 57, etc.; 58, etc.; and other bars of openwork 65, 66, etc.; and other rows of lanes of openwork between the succeeding rows of dots, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Since the complete weaving cycle described herein includes eight half-motions, and only three of these eight half-motions are used for weaving the dots 50, 51, 52, etc., it follows that the openwork 62, 63, 64, etc., extends through five half-motions of the weaving cycle. Again, since the row of dots 53, 54, etc., is not started untilthe fifth half-motion of the weaving cycle, indicated as halfmotion 3-a, and is completed at the end of the seventh half-motion of the weaving cycle, as indicated by halfmotion 4a, it follows that each dot is completely separated from each cater-cornered dot by one half-motion of openwork or one half-motion of the elastic warp threads between which each dot is extended. For example, the half-motion sections 11a and 11b of elastic warp thread 11 completely separate the dot 55 from the dots 53 and 58, and the half-motion sections 12a and 12b of elastic warp thread 12 completely separate the dot 56 from the dots 53 and 58. It may be observed that each openwork figure 62, 63, 64, etc., is two half-motions longer, when measured lengthwise or along the warp, than the dots 53, 54, etc., disposed between said openwork figures,-and that these two half-motions of openwork are distributed evenly, one above, and the other below, the dot, so that each dot is centered opposite the said openwork figures and thus will tend to distribute any strain exerted upon the dot evenly in all directions along the sections 11a, 11b, 12a, and 12b, of the warp threads. By this structural arrangement of the elastic warp threads and of the inelastic spool threads and bobbin threads, in combination with the balanced network of dots and openwork figures and the rows of openwork between the rows of dots, each dot is spaced from and elastically coupled to its cater-cornered dots and is spaced from but elastically coupled to adjacent dots in the same row and in the same bar, so that adjacent dots and/ or cater-cornered dots can not pull directly against each other, regardless of the direction in which the lace net is stretched, namely, lengthwise or along the warp as shown in Fig. 5, sideways or across the warp as shown in Fig. 6, diagonally, lengthwise and sideways simultaneously as shown in Fig. 7, or in any number of directions simultaneously as over an expanding curved surface.

The size of the dots depends upon the type of the ties and the number employed to form the dot. If too few ties are used to form a dot, the dot tends to open under tension, the threads tend to cut into the skin, and are apt to break and thus tear the lace net; increasing the number and/ or the gait of the ties, tends to reduce the elasticity of the lace net, and increases the size of the openwork figures and the risk of discomfort from pinching and from pressure marks.

Although the Nottingham lace net disclosed herein employs rubber threads in the Warp only, the dots and the openwork figures, and the rows of openwork between the rows of dots, are all so proportioned and integrated, that the fabric is strong enough to mold the soft tissues, can be stretched in any direction without tearing, and insures ample ventilation without develop ing irritating pressure marks or pinching the soft tissues.

The Nottingham lace net as shown is double action goods, and the work is two-gait work. Each dot consists of one two-gait double spool thread tie and one two-gait single spool thread tie woven in three consecutive halfmotions of either half of the weaving cycle. Thus, considering the dot 53 (Figs. 2 and 3), which is woven through the three consecutive half-motions 3-a, 3-b, and 4-a, of the second .half -of the weaving cycle, the inelastic spool thread 32 is extended from warp threadlf to warp thread 11 during half-motion 3-a and is tied to the warp thread 11 by bobbin thread 21 at the point 21e; during the next succeeding half-motion 3b, spool thread 32 is returned to its associated warp thread 12 and tie; during the next succeeding half-motion 4-a, spool thread 31 returns to its warp thread 11 and the spool thread 32 is again extended to warp thread 11 and there tied by bobbin thread 21 at the point 21g to form a single spool thread tie. During the next succeeding half-motion 4-12 the spool threads are not extended across the bars of the lace net and they accordingly pillar along their respective warp threads to leave a row of openwork below the dots 53, 54, etc., all across the lace net. During the next three consecutive half-motions 1-a, 1-b, and 2-a, of the first half of the next Weaving cycle the dot 55 is woven between the warp threads 10 and 11'by utilizing the spool threads 30 and 31, in the manner previously described. During the next succeeding half-motion 2-b the spool threads 30 and 31 pillar along their respective warp threads to leave openwork below the dot 55, and as the other spool threads are similarly pillared along their respective warp threads during half-motion 2b, a row of openwork is formed across the lace net.

Considering, by way of example, the dot 53 (Fig. 2), the spool thread ties are interlocked and tend to balance each other, and since the spool threads 31 and 32 are pillared to their respective warp threads 11 and 12 immediately before the dot is started and immediately after the dot 53 is fully woven, the dot 53 is securely tied between the warp threads 11 and'12, so that, when the lace net is stretched the strain upon the ties is evenly distributed in both directions so that the ties are not distorted to open up the dot. The double spool thread tie 31d of the dot 53 also increases the densenessof the dot and furnishes added strength thereto. By weaving a two-gait double spool thread tie, and a two-gait single spool thread tie, in three consecutive half-motions, a very strong, but very small, dot, is fabricated, and this small dot makes it possible to reduce the size of the openwork figures 60, 65 above and below, and 62, 63 positioned on opposite sides of, the dot, thus enhancing the usefulness of the lace net as a girdle fabric.

The elasticity of the lace net when stretched will be best understood from Figs. 5, 6, and 7. When the lace net is stretched lengthwise, or with the warp, the warp threads may be stretched to any desired amount within their elastic limits, In Fig. 5, the lace net is assumed to be stretched to approximately twice the relaxed length of the warp threads 10, 11 and 12.

When the lace net is stretched sideways, the dots tend to elongate (Fig. 6), and the openwork figures between the dots are modified into hexagonal figures, substantially as shown in Fig. 6. The pillared sections of the elastic warp threads are displaced from a lengthwise position (Fig. 2), to a diagonal position (Fig. 6), to provide sideways stretch of the lace net.

When the lace net is stretched in two, or more, directions simultaneously, as by the expansion of a curved surface or of a body contour, the openwork figures between the dots are modified into octagonal figures, substantially as shown in Fig. 7. The sections of warp thread corre-' sponding to the sections 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b, of openwork figure 65, are now diagonally displaced, to provide stretch'in two, or more, directions, simultaneously, thus permitting the lace net to expand over a surface of changing curvature.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 8, the lace net is woven in the same manner as before, and at suitable intervals objects, such as'the objects 81, 82, 83, and' 84, may be clothed in the lace net, by merely clothing in one as, for for example, by clothing (Fig. 1) between the dots 54,

of the openwork figures, the openwork figure 66 56, 57 and 59.

The flowers 80, 80 may likewise be clothed upon the lace net, but experience shows that clothing for ornamentation should not form a continuous or unbroken pattern extending sideways across the lace net, because clothing for ornamentation reduces sideways stretch of the lace net and correspondingly reduces two-way stretch. The lace net may be clothed lengthwise without impairing lengthwise stretch of the lace net to any appreciable extent.

Modifications of our elastic Nottingham lace net structure, will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

1. A two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace girdle fabric consisting of an elastic Nottingham lace net, said lace net including a series of covered elastic warp threads spaced apart to define a series of open bars extending between said Warp threads, a series of inelastic bobbin threads, one associated with each of said warp threads, a series of inelastic spool threads, one normally associated with each of said warp and said bobbin threads, to form a series of elastic pillars running lengthwise, and leave a row of openwork extending sideways of the lace net, said spool threads also extending forth and back across alternate bars between said warp threads at spaced intervals to weave rows of spaced dots, the spaces between said dots constituting ventilation holes for the girdle fabric, said rows of dots being separated by a row of said openwork, the dots in each row being disposed across the ventilation holes in the adjacent rows so that the dots in adjacent rows are in cater-cornered and spaced relation with respect to each other, each of said dots consisting of one two-gait double spool thread tie and one two-gait single spool thread tie, said ties being interlocked and tied together and to each of said warp threads by said bobbin threads to constitute said dot, said spool threads being also securely fastened in said elastic pillars both above and below said dot to prevent its said ties from opening up when said dot is under tension, said elastic warp threads stretching in any direction when correspondingly tensioned, and said elastic warp threads also moving sideways when under side tension to vary the shape of the dots and the configuration of the ventilation holes to further increase the side stretch of the girdle fabric.

2. A two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net useful as a girdle fabric, said lace net including a series of covered rubber warp threads spaced apart to define a series of open bars extending between said warp threads, a series of inelastic bobbin threads, one associated with each of said warp threads, a series of inelastic spool threads, one normally associated with each of said warp threads and pillared therewith by the associated bobbin thread to form an elastic pillar, said spool threads alternately extending forth and back across alternate bars and between said Warp threads at regularly spaced intervals and then pillaring with their associated warp threads to weave rows of spaced dots extending sideways and across the warp and joined together by said elastic pillars, the bars which intervene between the spaced dots in each row forming openwork, the relative positions of the spaced dots and of the openwork in adjacent rows of dots being interchanged so that the dots in any one row are woven across and close off the openwork formed between the dots of the next row, said dots each consisting of one two-gait double spool thread tie and one twogait single spool thread tie, interlocked and tied together and to each of said warp threads in succession by said associated bobbin threads to complete said dot, said bobbin threads also fastening said spool threads in said pillars above and below said dot to prevent said ties from opening up when said dot is under tension, said openwork constituting ventilation holes when the lace net is used as a girdle fabric, and said rubber warp threads and said elastic pillars being operable to stretch in any direction responsive to tension correspondingly applied to said lace net, and said elastic pillars also being movable side ways under side tension to enlarge and vary the configuration of said openwork figures.

3. A two-Way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net useful in making a foundation garment, said lace net including warp threads made of covered rubber, and bobbin and spool threads made of cotton, said warp threads being spaced apart to define a series of bars extending lengthwise between said warp threads, said bars being divisible lengthwise into a series of recurring groups of eight distinctive motions each, said spool threads extending forth and back across alternate bars from one warp thread to the next for three of said distinctive motions in unbroken succession to describe a row of spaced dots, each of said dots consisting of a two-gait double spool thread tie and a two-gait single spool thread tie, said spool thread ties being tied together and to said warp threads by said bobbin threads to anchor said dots in place, said rows of spaced dots extending sideways across the net, the spaces between the dots defining bars of openwork each one bar Wide, said spool threads being pillared with their respective warp and bobbin threads for the next distinctive motion to form a series of elastic pillars, said elastic pillars also locking said dots to prevent their spool thread ties from opening up when under tension, the spaces between said pillars describing bars of openwork, said spool threads extending back and forth across the bars of openwork of the preceding row of spaced dots from one warp thread to the next for three more of said group of distinctive motions in unbroken succession to mark off the ends of the openwork and to describe a reverse repeat of said row of spaced dots and of the openwork be tween them, said spool threads being pillared with their respective warp and bobbin threads for the next and last distinctive motion to form a duplicate series of elastic pillars and thus complete one series of repeats across the width of the lace net, said pattern being thereafter repeated lengthwise to duplicate said rows of spaced dots, said openwork, and said series of elastic pillars, in ordered succession, to weave the elastic Nottingham lace net, the openwork in the lace net constituting ventilation holes when the lace net is incorporated in a foundation garment, said rubber warp threads including said elastic pillars being free to stretch in any direction responsive to tension correspondingly applied to said lace net, and said elastic pillars also being free to move sideways under side tension to enlarge and vary the configuration of the openwork in the lace net.

4. A two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace girdle fabric as defined in claim 1, wherein some of the spaces between some of the dots are clothed by the spool threads to outline decorative objects upon the lace net.

5. A two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net as described in claim 2 wherein some of the spool threads are so extended as to cloth out some of the openwork figures to outline decorative figures in the net.

6. A two-way stretch elastic Nottingham lace net as defined in claim 3 wherein some of the spool threads are variously extended forth and back across one or more bars from one warp thread to another and there tied by said bobbin threads to form gaited spool thread ties which cloth out some of the bars of openwork and thus form decorative objects in the net.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,184 Hopewell Feb. 20, 1923 1,447,526 Turck Mar. 6, 1923 2,188,640 Bloch et al. Jan. 30, 1 940 2,371,039 Fischel Mar. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,246 Great Britain of 1906 

